What are you doing to save fuel?

[LOAD IT]

Also are you getting fuel surcharge on all loads? When dealing with brokers, "its included in the rate" how much do you allocate for fuel surcharge?

[rank]

FSC doesn't exist for us. Our rates are "all in". As for saving fuel, the only thing we can do is reduce the out of route and dead miles as much as possible.

[no_worries]

I don't worry about a FSC. My quotes are based on my operating expenses which takes that day's fuel prices into consideration. I have yet to have a broker ask, "What about a fuel surcharge?" after I give them a quote

[Dejanh]

I dropped my ass to 65mph and not a mile more, difference is about 1/2mpg in savings and i aint going back, no sir !

FSG is based on how many miles load covers, i take about a 100 extra compared to what i did in December when the fuel was 2.30-40pg...
Some wont even pay that

[brian]

I go on alot of vacations so my trucks dont move.

[BigDiesel]

The higher the fuel... the more I make. 8)

[solo379]

Also are you getting fuel surcharge on all loads?

Yes, if it doesn't have FSC, i don't move it. And those FSC covers more than a half of my fuel cost.
As of to conserving fuel, I've always was that way, even when fuel was for under a buck a gallon. Penny saved, is penny earned! :wink: 8)

[BanditsCousin]

I keep a close eye on my tire pressure, keep the trailer close to the cab, and use PrePass.

Brian's method is the most foolproof though, he knows how to save fuel the easy way

[Teal 95 KW]

[quote="BanditsCousin"] keep the trailer close to the cabquote]

Apparently you've never been to the "Jason School of Trucking the Cool Way"..

Rule #1.) You need atleast a 6 foot gap between the cab and the trailer

Not great on fuel, but the price of cool ain't cheap

[Cam]

FSC- Landstar pays a hodge podge. If the contract stipulates an fsc, we get 100%. I've got a load coming up paying 33cpm, wish I could tell you that is typical. What I find more often is the agents breaking an fsc out of the linehaul. With fuel at 2.80/gal, Landstar has been capping that around 20 cpm- not good!

I found a trucking show on XM that actually provides useful information. Some guy named Ken and I believe he is with American Truck Business Services, though I could be mistaken. Says he used to run steer tires on his drives for fuel economy which I find intriguing. I look at these deep lugs on my Bridgestones and I think, 'is that really necessary?' Any of you have experience running more of a 'road tire' on your drives?

[allan5oh]

- Drive at 60 mph

- Eliminate idling

- Max warm up and cool down 2 minutes, more is unnecassary

- Maximize aerodynamics, try to have the trailer up as far as possible(due to my volvo being a pig, thats about 2/3 the way back!)

- Ensure I fuel at the best locations possible, south beloit flying hook is a pretty good one. Fuel in Canada is always cheaper.

- Take it easy coming off stops

- Conserve momentum, not rushing up to a red light

- Kicking the clutch in earlier, and more coasting

- Coasting is key

- Keep the truck maintained, including fuel filters, valve sets, and air filters


Last trip I averaged 7.7 mpg.

[no_worries]

I know guys that run all-position tires on tractor and trailer. New tires go on the trailer for 20-40,000, supposedly to "round them out" then they get moved to the steers. You have less tread depth to start with but less resistance with those tires.

[Cam]

I know guys that run all-position tires on tractor and trailer. New tires go on the trailer for 20-40,000, supposedly to "round them out" then they get moved to the steers. You have less tread depth to start with but less resistance with those tires.

What does that mean? Same tire on steer, drives and trailer? Aren't trailer tires usually cheaper than steer tires? Do they believe it helps their fuel economy?

[allan5oh]

That's one thing I'll never compromise, good tires. I run XZA3's on the steer and XDN2's on the drives. Yet I still get very good mileage.

[rank]

Eliminate idling

10-4!

Was going thru the some paperwork last night. We have a driver on a dedicated run and he takes the exact same 760 mile route 3 times per week or so. Same weight, same truck everything. Fuel bills are $25 more when he sleeps at the truck stop instead of coming home. And two nights ago, when he was dead tired and slept for 12 hours..... fuel was $50 more.

[Dejanh]

Coasting is key


..as well as ticket in socialist state of California, i should know as i recieved it !

[tootie04]

FSC- Landstar pays a hodge podge. If the contract stipulates an fsc, we get 100%. I've got a load coming up paying 33cpm, wish I could tell you that is typical. What I find more often is the agents breaking an fsc out of the linehaul. With fuel at 2.80/gal, Landstar has been capping that around 20 cpm- not good!

I found a trucking show on XM that actually provides useful information. Some guy named Ken and I believe he is with American Truck Business Services, though I could be mistaken. Says he used to run steer tires on his drives for fuel economy which I find intriguing. I look at these deep lugs on my Bridgestones and I think, 'is that really necessary?' Any of you have experience running more of a 'road tire' on your drives?

We are running steer tires on the freightliner and yes you do get better fuel economy. I was reading an article about this last year and it said you have more of the tire in contact with the ground so you get better economy. Made sense to me. Anyway we will be putting steers on the KW when the time comes for tires.

tootie

[roadranger]

Only turn the jake on when you really need it (like the mfg intended!). Every time you let off and it kicks in it eats up your momentum - and you have to burn fuel to get it back. Increase your following distance and look ahead distance so you don't have to be using the jake and/or brakes all the time. I think most of you guys think backwards as to what makes the truck eat fuel. The throttle converts fuel into momentum which isn't "wasting" it (unless you go too fast). The brakes and jake convert that momentum into heat, throwing that fuel you used away. Oh - and another advantage to going slower is that on a downhill you have that much more you can let the truck speed up coasting (in gear, clutch engaged, jake off!) before you have to brake to keep from becoming bear bait 8) . I usually set the cruise at 60 with the jake off and let it get up to 72 (in a 65 zone) on a downhill before I kick in the jake. I'd change the programming to do that automatically but then when I'm doing 60 in a 55 I'd be in trouble :shock: .

[Cam]

Was going thru the some paperwork last night. We have a driver on a dedicated run and he takes the exact same 760 mile route 3 times per week or so. Same weight, same truck everything. Fuel bills are $25 more when he sleeps at the truck stop instead of coming home. And two nights ago, when he was dead tired and slept for 12 hours..... fuel was $50 more.

Another fleet owner. Scary thought, the boss knows exactly how much it's costing him when you idle. As an O/O, I've learned to almost never idle, that'd have been $50 out of my pocket, man, that's sprawling out in a decent motel room! Besides, the weather hasn't been that bad recently. I'm all the time walking by trucks wondering to myself, 'is he heating that truck or cooling it off!?' Hey, when it's below freezing, it's sweat pants, a sleeping bag and a heavy quilt over top. Idling is just pissing away money.

[Cam]

We are running steer tires on the freightliner and yes you do get better fuel economy. I was reading an article about this last year and it said you have more of the tire in contact with the ground so you get better economy. Made sense to me. Anyway we will be putting steers on the KW when the time comes for tires.

tootie

Thanks a lot, Tootie, that just seems to make so much sense. I spent $3,000+ last fall on a set of Bridgestone EL 726's or whatever they are called just because it was the first time I purchased drives and I was following what so many others are doing. That deep, widely spaced tread, rarely do I ever need that. I wouldn't put that kind of tread on a car, I hardly ever go off roading in construction sites with my truck, either. I think I'll do what you are doing next time.